Truss.



PATENTED OUT. 31, 1905.

W. FIELDING.

TRUSS.

APPLICATION FILED mm; 14, 1905.

lnventog Attorneys.

MlliumFieldinq UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TRUSS.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed June 14, 1905. Serial No. 265,180-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FIELDING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lewiston, in the county of Androscoggin and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Truss, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trusses.

The object of the invention is to provide a truss which may be secured in position upon the body of the wearer in such manner as positively to hold the pad or pads in site whether the wearer be standing, sitting, or reclining.

With the above and other objects in View,

as will appear as the nature 'of the invention.

is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a truss, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a truss constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a collective view in perspective of the two front pads of the truss. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective, taken from the reverse side of one of the rear pads.

While the improvements herein shown are employed in connection with trusses adapted for the treatment of double hernia, it is to be understood that they are equally adaptable for use in connection with the treatment of single hernia, and as this will be readily understood detailed illustration of such modification is deemed unnecessary.

The truss embodies a belt 1, which may be made of any suitable material, preferably of leather, a pair of front. pads 2 and 3, a pair of rear pads 4, a pair of body-springs 5 and 6, and aplurality of supporting-loops 7. Each body-spring is a counterpart of the other, so that a description of one will serve for both. The spring embodies a central curved portion 8, which is adapted to conform to the hip portion of the wearer above the crest of the pelvis, and is bent at its ends to form rectangular combined pad-supports and buckles 9 and 10, the terminals 11 of the parts 9 and 10 constituting tongues to engage orifices 12 in the belt to effect the requisite adjustment of the pads and of the body-springs relatively to the wearer. It will be noted that the terminals 11 cross one of the side members of each of the combined pad-support and buckle and in practice lie quite close thereto, whereby any danger of accidental unfastening of the belt when once adjusted is positively precluded. By forming the body-springs with the elements 9 and 10 not only is this construction of the truss as a whole simplified, but greater efficiency in use is secured, inasmuch as there are fewer parts to become deranged from strain or breakage.

Each of the rear pads 4., with its adjuncts, is a counterpart of the other, so that a description of one will serve for both. The pad may be made of any suitable material and is secured to a plate 13 by screws 14. The plate has an extension 15 of any desired length, the free end of which is bifurcated to present two arms 16, that are looped or pinched around the body-spring, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The pad is combined with the padsupport by providing the former with an annular channel or recess 17, in which two of the members of the pad-support rest and are clamped against movement by the plate 13. Of course each of the pads may be covered with suitable yielding facing to render it comfortable in use, and as this will be readily understood illustration thereof is omitted.

The front pads 2 and 3 are combined with the pad-supports 9 by plates 18 and 19 and screws 20, these parts serving to hold the pads assembled with their respective pad-supports in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 3, it being understood that each of the pads will be provided with a recess to receive two members of the support. The plate 18 is provided with an extension 21, which constitutes a keeper, and bears against the tongue 11 to prevent accidental unfastening of the belt at that point, it being essential that after the belt is adjusted it should be positively so retained in order to prevent any shifting of the pads.

The plate 19 is devoid of the keeper 21, but in lieu thereof is provided with a longitudinal slot 22, which is designed to be engaged by a hook or projection 23 on a buckle 24, carried by the belt, the said buckle being provided with a second hook 25, which engages with one of the members of the pad-support, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The belt, which is continuous, is passed through the buckle 10, the tongue 26 of which is adapted to engage with any one of a series of orifices 27 therein and is extended across the front portion of the truss and is secured to the main portion of the belt in any suitable manner, as by a cord 28, which is passed through the flap and then through the body of the belt. This is done for the purpose of preventing the flap or free end from dropping down, and thus presenting an obstruction that would be objectionable.

In order to relieve the hips of the wearer from unnecessary strain in walking due to the pressure of the body-springs, the supporting loops 7 are provided, which are adapted to be turned over the waistband of the trousers and engage with the Suspender-buttons thereon. These loops, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, are secured to the pad-supports and are made of any suitable materialsuch as leather, string, or the likeand will be found to secure the objects designed in a thoroughly practical manner.

To prevent the front pads from working up, straps or cords 29 are provided, one terminal of each of which is secured in any suitable manner to the elements 10 and the other terminal of eachof which is formed into a loop 30, to engage with a hook 31, carried by or formed integral with the plates 18 and 19.

In the use of the truss the rear pads are first adjusted by bringing the tongues 11 into engagement with the proper orifices or holes 12 at the rear of the belt, and when this has been effected the front pads are adjusted by bringing the tongues 11 into engagement with the appropriate orifices at the front portion of the belt. WVhen this is secu'red,,the flap or free end of the belt is drawn through the buckle 24 until the front pads are properly positioned and then secured. When this adjustment has once been secured, there is no necessity to disturb it, as it will only be necessary to free the hooks or catches 23 and 25 from engagement with the slot 22 and padsupport to effect removal of the truss.

The improvements herein described, while simple in character, will be found thoroughly efficient for the purpose designed and will result in the production of a truss that will be effective under all conditions in use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. A truss embodying a pair of bodysprings, the terminals of which are formed to constitute combined pad-supports and buckles, pads combined with the supports, and a belt engaging the buckles.

2. A truss embodyinga pairof curved bodysprings the terminals of which are formed into combined pad-supports and buckles, pads secured to the supports, a belt combined with the buckles and supporting-loops combined with the pad-supports.

' 3. A truss embodying a pair of bodysprings having their terminals formed into rectangular combined pad-supports and buckles, pads having recesses to receive two members of the supports, and plates carried by the pads and clamping the supports in place.

4. A truss comprising a pair of bodysprings, the terminals of which are formed into combined pad-supports and buckles, rear pads secured to the supports and having extensions engaging the springs, and a belt combined with the buckles.

5. A truss embodying a pair of bodysprings having their terminals formed into combined pad-supports and buckles, front pads engaging the'supports, plates for rigidly combining the pads with the support, one of the plates being provided with a keeper and the other plate with a longitudinal slot, a belt engaging the buckles, and a buckle carried by the belt and having hooks to engage respectively with the orifices in the plate and with the pad-supports.

6. A truss embodying a pair of bodysprings the terminals of which are formed to constitute combined pad-supports and buckles, pads secured to the supports and provided with hooks, a belt engaging the huekles, and flexible holding elements adapted to engage the hooks.

7. A truss embodying a pair of bodysprings the terminals of which are formed to constitute combined pad-supports and huekles, pads secured to the supports, a belt engaging the buekles, flexible holding elements adapted to engage the hooks, and supportingloops combined with the pad-supports and buckles.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM FIELDING.

WVitnesses:

' PELEG O. RANKIN, J. O. McCmLLIs. 

